Rescue says: Brexit

Rescue says: Brexit

Rescue Says: The decision to take the UK out of the European Union has significant implications across the entire range of the political spectrum, and Heritage and Archaeological concerns are not immune from these. There are a number of heritage protection principles, policies and practices that are in common usage and that the heritage sector and the general public at large rely on every single day, that are underpinned, or fully reliant upon, a suite of EU legislation, treaties and conventions that the UK has signed and ratified.

The legal status of these provisions once the UK has withdrawn from the EU is unclear. Some may continue in force for some years until they are replaced by specific domestic legislation: others might cease to apply immediately at the point that the UK exits the EU. Whatever the case, Rescue will be primarily concerned with ensuring that the important provisions of the heritage protection system are maintained and enhanced during the Brexit process and beyond. We will continue (as has always been the case) to hold the Government to account in matters of heritage protection, and will work to ensure that this isn’t viewed as a covert opportunity to dissolve or downgrade the hard-earned positive maintenance and enhancement principles that exist to protect our precious heritage resources.